Motor speed control systems



y 3, 1956 w. H. ELLIOT 2,753,506

MOTOR SPEED CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l A 3Z1; A A 48 mmmwmm v v w w x x Y Y z z 1 ST p 0 ,s-mm' y 3 1956 w. H. ELLIOT 2,753,506

MOTOR SPEED CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ADJUSTMENT MOTQR SPEED CGNTROL SYSTEMS William H. Elliot, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignor to Cutler- Hamrner, Inc, Milwaukee, Wis a corporation of Dela- Ware Application January 25, 1954, Serial No. 405,745

ltl Claims. (Cl. 318-331) This invention relates to improvements in motor speed control systems and, it relates more particularly to such systems of the electronic type.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved motor speed control system affording superior performance at a minimum of cost.

Another object is to provide a motor speed control system the components of which are utilized to full extent by their arrangements to perform multiple functions and otherwise so that a minimum of components need be employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved methods and means for controlling the speed of electric motors through the medium of electron tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved alternating voltage phase-shifting network.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings will now be described, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and that other embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a system embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a vector diagram of the time-voltage relationships in the phase-shift circuit shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown an electronic motor drive system. The motor is powered by unidirectional current derived from an alternating current supply source such as lines L1 and L2. During operation of the drive, the current in the field winding 12 of the motor is not adjusted. The magnitude of the current supplied to the armature 14 is regulated to control the speed of the motor.

Rectified alternating current is supplied to the armature 14 through a bridge rectifier circuit comprising diode rectifier tubes 16 and 1S and thyratron tubes 20 and 22. The amount of current which is supplied to armature 14 is regulated by controlling the time, during the period when the anode of each of tubes 29 and 22 is positive with respect to its cathode, at which said tubes are rendered conductive. The control voltage for the thyratrons is applied between the control electrode and cathode of each of the tubes and comprises an alternating voltage component which lags the anode-cathode voltage of the respective tubes by a fixed electrical angle of approximately 120 degrees. The control voltage also has a unidirectional component which is varied to determine the firing point of the tubes 2% and 22 in accordance with desired motor speed and the TR drop in armature 14. During starting the unidirectional voltage component of the control voltage is modified to provide timed acceleration of the motor 10.

The system includes a time delay relay 24 which delays the energization of a control relay 26 until the tubes are suificiently heated to permit their being fully loaded with- "nited States Patent 0 out being damaged. When energized control relay 26 acts to energize field winding 12 and to make it possible to energize a main contactor 28 to energize armature 14 by closing a Start switch.

The components and circuit connections of the system, as illustrated in the drawing, are described as follows:

Time delay relay 24 comprises a heater element 24 and normally open contacts 24 Control relay 26 comprises an operating winding 26, normally closed contacts 26* and normally open contacts 26.

Main contactor 28 has an operating winding 28 normally open contacts 28 and 28, and normally closed contacts 28 Tubes 16, 18, 2t) and 22 each comprise an anode 16 18 20 and 22 and a cathode 16 18 20 and 22*, respectively. Tubes 20 and 22 each also have a control electrode 2t and 22, respectively. Another tube 3%, is a dual, high-vacuum rectifier having anodes 36 and 30* and a common cathode 30 The cathodes of the tubes and the heater element 24 of delay relay 24 are heated by power supplied by a respectively associated one of the secondary windings VV, WW, XX, YY and Z2 of a transformer 32.

The primary windings 32 of transformer 32 is connected across lines L1 and L2 and the center tap 32 of winding 32 is connected to one side of contacts 26 through field winding 12. Connected in parallel with field winding 12, is a series circuit comprising coil 28*, a normally closed Stop switch and a normally open Start switch. The other side of contacts 26 is connected to a common point in the system designated N.

Anodes 16 and 18 are connected to point N and cathodes and 18 are connected directly to lines L1 and L2, respectively. Anode 20 is connected to line L1 and anode 22 is connected to line L2. Cathodes 20 and 22 are connected to the respective ends of primary winding 42 of a transformer 42.

The center tap 42 of winding 42 is connected to the positive side of armature 14 through contacts 28. The negative side of said armature is connected to point N through contacts 28 and to the connection between the Stop and Start switches through a resistor 44.

Point N is connected to cathode 30 of tube 30 through a series circuit comprising normally open contacts 24* of time delay relay 24, operating winding 26 of relay 26 and a limiting resistor 46. Contacts 26 are connected in series with the heater element 24 and secondary winding VV, one side of which is connected to point N. The anodes 30 and 30 are connected to lines L1 and L2, respectively.

The system thus far described operates as follows: Upon closure of line switch 48, power is applied to transformer 32 and the cathodes of all the tubes begin to be heated. Alternating voltage is applied across the anodes and cathodes of tubes 16, 18 and 30. These tubes are connected to form a bridge rectifier to supply a small amount of unidirectional current to coil 26 and a resistor 50 which shunts contacts 24. This current is limited by resistor 50 to a value less than that required in coil 26 to open contacts 26 Thus the power circuit to heater element 24* remains continuous and said element is heated.

After a predetermined time sufficiently long to allow cathodes 16 18 20 and 22 to be heated, contacts 24 close and short-circuit resistor 50. The current in operating winding 26 is increased. Contacts 26* open to interrupt the heater 24 circuit and contacts 26 are closed. Upon closure of contacts 26, tubes 16 and 18 and transformer 32, which are connected to form a conventional or diametric full-wave rectifier, supply unidirectional current to field winding 12.

When the Start switch is closed, coil 28 is energized in parallel with field winding 12. Contacts Zd and 22 are closed so that alternating voltage is applied between the plate and cathode of tubes 2t and 22 and armature 14 is energized.

The alternating component of the thyratron control voltage is developed in a phase-shift circuit which includes a transformer whose primary winding connected to lines Li and L2. The secondary Winding 4 of this transformer is connected in a loop circuit comprising, in order, said wit. .ng as, a capacitor es, 2: terminal A, a resistor 63, a terminal C, a resistor 7d, a terminal B, and a capacitor 72. Terminal A is connected to control electrode 213 of tube 22'; through a grid current limiting resistor '74 and to the connection between winding so and capacitor '72 through a resistor 76. Terminal B is connected to control electrode 22 of tube 22 through a grid current limiting resistor and to the connection intermediate winding 64 and capacitor 66 through the series combination of a resistor and a balancing rheostat S2. A by-pass capacitor dd interconnects center tap 42 of winding 42 of transformer and the center tap 64 of the secondary winding 64* of transformer 64 so that these taps are maintained at substantially the same alternating potential. The unidirectional components of the control voltage are added to this circuit between terminal C and center tap 42 The impedances of capacitors 66 and 72 and resistors '76, 3t) and $2 act to shift the phase of the voltages appearing between center tap ed and points A and B, respectively, with respect to the voltage impressed across ines L1 and L2.

Thus the alternating component of the control voltage applied between the control electrode and cathode of tube 29 is the alternating voltage appearing between center tap 6d and point A. The alternating component of the control voltage applied between the control electrode of tube 22 is the alternating voltage appearing between center tap 64 and point B.

The phase relationship of, the alternating control voltage between center tap 64 and point B, with respect to that between Ll and L2, may be altered by adjustment of rheostat 82 to adjust the ubes for equal current flow it their respective grid characteristics differ.

The operation of the phase-shitting circuit may be understood from an examination of the vector diagram of Fig. 2. The ends of the various vectors are labeled to correspond to points in the circuit of Fig. 1. Points B and B represent the limits of the phase variation in the alternating voltage e een points 6 3 and 3 possible to be attained by adjustment of rheostat 82. C and C represent the potential at point C when rheostat 82 is adjusted to its respecti e extreme positions.

This phase-shift network makes possible the application to the thyratrons of alternating control voltages individualized to said thyratrons as required in addition to a direct o al control component which is common to bo tubes The effect of grid current flow in one tube upon the control voltage or" the other tube is minimized by this circuit arrangement.

The common grid-cathode circuit of both tubes, between center tnp 22" and point C, may be traced from center top 42*, through armature M to point N, through a potentio. eter 86 from N to potentiometer resi and thence through a re 1 9-0 to point C. or: is connected pal-at el sized through the bridge rectifier with coi and 1S con ismg tubes and The tap is set so that the voltage from point N to tap 85 is proportional to the desired speed of motor This is the reference voltage.

' Resistor is the load resistor of a full-wave rectifier circuit comprising half-wave rectifier units and '94 and the center tapped secondary winding of transformer d2. As will be apparent, the rectified voltage developed across resistor 88 is proportional to the magnitude of the current in the primary winding 42 or armature l4, and so is proportional to the ER drop of armature 1th.

The unidirectional component of the control voltage thus comprises a voltage proportional to motor IR drop, the reference voltage and the voltage developed across armature The last named voltage, corrected by the ER drop voltage, indicates actual motor speed and is compared with the reference voltage in the common gridcathode circu The difference voltage or error voltage net unidirectional component of the control voltage.

In certain applications of the system, it may be desired to adjust the grid potential of the thyratron tubes so that only small current or no current at all is supplied to armature This may be done by providing an auxilof unidirectional voltage, such as battery 95 th potentiometer 86 between points N and C of system. This voltage opposes the voltage devel across potentiometer as and forms part of the reference voltage.

A capacitor is connected between points N and C and is shunted by normally closed contacts 23 When the Start switch is closed and coil 2% is energized, contac"- 23 open and capacitor 96 begins charging through resistor and the drop compensating resistor 38 to the potential or speed setting potentiometer movable contact The potential across capacitor 96 increases at a rate which depends primarily upon the time constant or resistor and capacitor The polarity of the voltage drop across armature is such as to make the grids of tubs Zn negative with respect to their cathodes.

me an lature voltage and tend to make the tube grids positive. Thus as capacitor charges it tends to increase conduction in tubes 2% and 22-. The rate of increase in such conduction and so the acceleration of motor it depends npon the rate at which capacitor 96 is charged and the inertia of motor lit and its load.

Other features such as motor reversal, motor inching, dynamic motor braking and so on may be incorporated in the system with relative ease and this is another advantage of the syst m. However, for the sake of simplicity and clarity the modifications necessary to realize these functions have to be omitted from the drawing.

in Fig. l, the connection ldthshown dotted and extending from point D near winding 28 to cathode 3d of tube 3t may be substituted for the connection 1492, which extends from point D to center tap 32 of transformer c Connection is preferred. When it is employed, winding 23 is energized in parallel with coil 26 by the full-wave rectifier comprising tubes to, and 3i).

1 claim:

1. in combination, an electric motor having a field winding and an armature, a diametric type full-wave rectifier circuit comprising a first pair of electron tubes connected to supply full-Wave unidirectional current to said field winding, a first bridge type r ctifier comprising said firs pair of electron tubes and a pair of thyratrons connected to supply full-wave unidirectional current to said prisin a or alf-wave rectifying elements and said first pair of elect on tubes connected to supply current to said resistor, thyratroi each having alternating control thyratrcn tubes, and circuit means the alternating voltage, the voltage across said ar tture and a portion of the voltage across said resistor between said cathodes and said control electrodes of said of thyratron tubes.

" In "*"2d claim l, including a sister in series connected in parallel in er the voltage across which sar cathodes and said control elecof thyratrons whereby the rate of a cathode acceleration of said motor is controlled as a function of the magnitude of said voltage last mentioned.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, including an electromagnetic contactor having a contact connected in series circuit with said armature and an operating winding connected to be energized with unidirectional current supplied by said second bridge type rectifier.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, including a transformer having a secondary winding and a center tapped primary winding the end terminals of which are connected to the cathode of a respective one of said thyratrons and the center tap of which is connected to said armature, and a rectifier and a second resistor connected across said secondary winding whereby there is developed across said second resistor a unidirectional voltage which is proportional to the current in said armature, said second resistor being connected to apply the voltage thereacross between said cathodes and said control electrodes of said pair of thyratrons.

5. In combination: an electric motor having a field winding and an armature; a diametric type full-wave rectifier circuit comprising a first pair of rectifier elements connected to supply full-wave unidirectional current to said field winding; a first bridge type rectifier comprising said first pair of half-wave rectifying elements and a pair of thyratrons connected to supply full-Wave unidirectional current to said armature; a first resistor; a second bridge type rectifier comprising said first pair of halfwave rectifying elements and a second pair of halfwave rectifying elements to supply current to said first resistor; a source of alternating control voltage for said thyratrons comprising a source of alternating voltage having a mid-voltage terminal and a loop circuit comprising in order a first capacitor, a first output terminal, a second resistor having a mid-tap, a second output terminal and a second capacitor; said source of alternating control voltage further comprising a third resistor connected from said first output terminal to the junction of said alternating voltage source and said second capacitor and a fourth resistor connected from said second output terminal to the junction between said alternating voltage source and said first capacitor; circuit means to apply the voltage across said armature and a portion of the voltage across said first resistor between the midtap of the said second resistor and the cathodes of said thyratrons; and circuit means to apply the voltages between said mid-voltage terminal of said alternating voltage source and said first and second output terminals respectively to the grid of an associated one of said thyratrons.

6. A dual outpt phase-shifting circuit comprising: a source of alternating voltage having a mid-voltage terminal; a loop circuit connected across said source and comprising in order a first capacitor, a first output terminal, a first resistance element, a return terminal for connection with said mid-voltage terminal of said source to an external circuit, a second resistance element, a second output terminal and a second capacitor, a third resistance element connected from the connection of said first capacitor and said source to said second output terminal; and a fourth resistance element connected from the connection of said second capacitor and said source to said first output terminal.

7. A dual output phase-shifting circuit comprising: a

source of alternating voltage having a mid-voltage terminal; a loop circuit connected across said source and comprising in order a first capacitor, 21 second output terminal, a first resistance element, a second output terminal and a second capacitor; a second resistance element connected from the connection between said first capacitor and said source to said second output terminal; and a third resistance element connected from the connection between said second capacitor and said source to said first output terminal.

8. A thyratron control system for a direct current motor comprising; a pair of thyratrons each having an anode, a control electrode and a cathode; a direct current motor having an armature and a field winding; a transformer having a secondary winding and having a center tapped primary winding the center tap of which is connected to said armature and the end points of which are connected to the cathode of a respectively associated one of said thyratrons; a rectifier and a second resistor connected across said secondary winding whereby there is developed across said second resistor a unidirectional voltage proportional to the current in said armature; a third resistor, a source to impress a unidirectional voltage across said third resistor; a source of alternating control voltage; and circuit means comprising said source last mentioned and a portion of said third resistor and said second resistor and said armature to apply the respective voltages thereacross between the control electrode and cathode of each of said thyratrons.

9. The combination defined in claim 8, including a capacitor and a fourth resistor in series connected in parallel with said portion of said third resistor and said second resistor whereby the rate of acceleration of said motor is controlled as a function of the voltage across said portion of said third resistor and said second resistor.

10. In combination, an electric motor having a field winding and an armature, a diametric type full-wave rectifier circuit comprising a first pair of rectifying eleents connected to supply full-wave unidirectional current to said field winding, a first bridge type rectifier comprising a pair of thyratron tubes and said first pair of rectifying elements connected to supply full-wave unidirectional current to said armature, a resistor, a second bridge type rectifier comprising a second pair of rectifying elements and said first pair of rectifying elements connected to supply unidirectional current to said resistor, a source of unidirectional voltage connected in series with said resistor and opposing the voltage across said resistor, said thyratron tubes each having a cathode and a control element, a source of alternating control voltage for said pair of thyratron tubes, and circuit means to apply the alternating voltage, the voltage across said armature, and said source of unidirectional voltage last mentioned and a selected portion of the voltage across said resistor between said cathodes and control electrodes of said pair of thyratron tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,504,123 Haneiko et al. Apr. 18, 1950 2,517,101 Few Aug. 1, 1950 2,609,524 Greene Sept. 2, 1952 2,630,555 Hursh Mar. 3, 1953 

